It has been a brutal past week, politically and economically. The UK’s decision to exit the European Union (EU) at their referendum prompted global shockwaves. Stock markets have been volatile, Sterling crashed against the US dollar and euro, while gold and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin were beneficiaries. So, alternatives do need considering.

The only constant is change and we are now faced with a period of uncertainty - possibly prolonged - as to where this will all end up. Amid the turmoil there are always opportunities. The referendum was not really about the EU, and the causes for which it was the most visible symptom apply far beyond the UK. It might also start off a domino effect with EU member states calling it a day.

It was about widespread dissatisfaction: about the state of government in the 21st century, about representation and inequality, about the engagement of the gatekeepers and power-holders with the people they are supposed to serve. And this sentiment, which can be seen across Europe and America, is critical to the emergence of a new suite of technologies and the mentality that is driving their adoption.

No 'Crypto' Borders

Cryptocurrency or digital money not only does not understand the concept of borders and nationalities: it doesn’t know they exist. These platforms are truly international. It’s as easy and fast to send money to Europe or Australia as it is to send it to your friend next door.

The vision encapsulated by such a technology informs its use, and it is common to find dispersed groups, located around the world, using the blockchain or distributed ledger to raise money, issue assets and pay their shareholders amongst many other things.

This is the landscape into which steps CCEDK, a company that was originally founded as a crypto exchange enabling users to convert bitcoin and fiat money into different virtual currencies.

Now as a rebranded entity, Crypto Coins Enterprises DK (CCEDK ApS), the former crypto exchange based in Denmark, has revamped its platform showing the way to a new era of crowdfunding. With an improved front-end design and various new services it is scheduled to launch at the start of July and in connection with US Independence Day.

The move and thinking reflects the fact that the sector has changed rapidly. Indeed, it became apparent to CCEDK that it could serve its customers better by acting not primarily as an exchange, but as a gateway into the world of the blockchain.

As Ronny Boesing, CEO of CCEDK, puts it: “Instead of merely profiting from fees on currency conversions - a ‘shovel-maker’ in the digital gold rush if you like - the company could use its experience and knowledge of the crypto world to make a real difference.”

Blockchain & Crowdfunding

Central to the vision is the idea that blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses gain their first toe-hold in the market, as their entrepreneurs guide them from inception and start-up phase through to being profitable and established companies.

“Our vision is to be the enterprise that best understands and satisfies the product, service and funding needs of start-ups - globally,” asserts US-educated Boesing who likes to ride a more than just one horse in the crypto exchange space.

Money matters for start-ups. And, this will be one of CCEDK’s primary aims: to bring what they tout as “great new ideas and people” to the attention of global investors who are searching for returns in troubled times. Or, those who are dissatisfied with the state of traditional finance and intrigued by the concept of the sharing economy.

Crowdfunding over the blockchain enables ordinary people to access investment opportunities that they would never otherwise even see. The exciting feature of crowdfunding with cryptocurrency is that allows the investor to trade their investment immediately on the trading platform OpenLedger. This is claimed by Boesing to be unlike standard crowdfunding where one might have to wait until a real product is in fact made available on the market.

It allows entrepreneurs to access funding that they might never otherwise receive. And, CCEDK intends to act as escrow, which derives its name from the Old French word escroue (scrap of paper or parchment), and generally refers to money held by a third-party on behalf of transacting parties.

Basically OpenLedger offers third parties to hold an amount on a specific account short term for further use for funds, providing an administrative and legal hub for investors.

Boesing reveals that his grand aim is to be able eventually to involve the National Trade Councils and their regional offices in countries around the world, working with start-ups chosen through local competitions.

“We will then help bring this project to life for the world to see and to offer it to investors through a crowdfunding process, giving them a stake in the future company and revenues,” the Dane adds.

Specifically, the exchange will head up this stage and cover the costs involved, in return for a percentage of the funds raised. However, the picture doesn’t begin and end there.

Decentralized Conglomerate

CCEDK has retained at least one feature from its previous incarnation. It purports to be the de facto fiat gateway for the blockchain: a means of moving regular currencies like USD, EUR and CNY (Yuan) into virtual ones like Bitcoin, Litecoin and a raft of others.

It supports the OpenLedger platform, a 'peer-to-peer' (P2P) cryptocurrency platform designed for high-speed transactions with all of its capabilities built around this.

Such capabilities encompass: (1) Security (No one can freeze, seize, hack or attack your wealth and your identity can never be stolen; (2) Acceptance (You can spend your money instantly and anywhere where major debit cards are accepted); (3) Privacy (Only those you authorize can see your accounts). While the exchange makes its ledgers public for transparency, you can keep yours private); and, (4) Signature Accounts (Share control of accounts with friends, family, and business associates with complete accountability).

Users can trade crypto-assets in near-real time through the platform, securely and with what are described as “ultra-low fees”. For example, native tokens like BitShares (BTS) and its SmartCoins have fees close to zero, and its digital tokens like OBITS, launched last November, BTSR and ICOO as well as outside crypto currencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and fiat-pegged Tether USDT and EURT are all traded with fees normally ranging between 0.3% and 0.2%.

Built on top of the MIT-licensed Graphene technology of BitShares 2.0, it acts as the foundation for the Decentralized Conglomerate, an ecosystem of interlinked and mutually-supporting assets and services. These are instrumental to the benefits that CCEDK will offer start-ups. Think of CCEDK in its new incarnation like the operational brain of the Decentralized Conglomerate.

As a whole, these form the Decentralized Conglomerate ecosystem, which is designed to boost the chances of success for entrepreneurs, whilst simultaneously rewarding its own stakeholders. Alignment of interests and incentives is key to the sharing economy.

New Services

Some of these services include promotion - marketing. This is something every business needs but the rules change in the decentralized world of the blockchain. Start-ups can choose to access as much or as little of the services offered through the exchange as they want plus the crowdfunding and escrow elements offered by CCEDK.

For example, BitTeaser, an advertising network service based is in the fray, is much like
Google’s AdSense, but one that charges and pays out in crypto coins. This initiative set out to be built on blockchain technology.

Meanwhile, OBITS, a digital token blockchain powered via the platform OpenLedger and people driven on the base of the OBITS Bloggers’ Club 500, is a new type of sharing economy where it is possible to earn a share of the fees generated by the platform OpenLedger.

OBITS represents a large share of digital token revenue expected to be generated - not just by current initiatives - but also future ones added by CCEDK over the coming years. The Bloggers’ Club 500 furthermore affords a steady stream of content onto blogs and websites around the world and can serve as a useful resource for new businesses to tap into.

For the uninitiated ICOO represents a pool of money that can be used to invest in potentially promising new assets which, after a broader crowdfund has been completed, are released as their own standalone assets to trade on OpenLedger.

“We hope that by doing this we will be able to help fund innovative new projects that might otherwise struggle to receive funding,” Boesing says. “Who knows, perhaps one day we’ll play a part in launching the next Skype or
Apple, and giving inventors and developers a chance to make their dreams a reality.”

In short, ICOO is your ticket to all the most promising ICO’s in one place, providing the option to trade a coin from day 1 of an ICO, and a way to earn rewards taking part in the BitTeaser Ambassador’s program or the OBITS Bloggers’ Club 500.

It is also a token and investment with an exit. People can always sell ICO token at level 1 ICO price until final launch. Furthermore, a buy-back of funds and a ‘burning’ process reduces the overall supply, which is claimed to allow a “natural growth” in the remaining funds over time.

CCEDK has access to national and international media outlets and plans to hold several crowdfunds and asset launches per month, including one selected through a local competition. It is understood that this will follow a due diligence process and be subject to participation criteria.

The mission is to make CCEDK the “preferred marketing and crowdfunding partner” for their clients according to Boesing by “delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and an exceptional client experience.”

But it will also require constantly fulfilling expectations through digital leadership, cooperation and cross-promotion across ecosystems. The expected soft launch of CCEDK’s new website commences on 1 July 2016 and may soon be showing us the way forward.

I am a freelance financial journalist based in London and former FT staff writer covering stock exchanges and transaction services. In recent years I have written for a number of trade titles like Futures & Options World (FOW), magazines such as the FT’s Investors Chron...